Matt's Basement Workshop Video Feed

You have questions and comments about the simple thickness planer sled? I have answers; although I can’t guarantee they’re the ones you want to hear. Thanks to everyone who wrote in!

For the past several months while I've been on the road for work my wife Samantha has been tackling a kitchen project. I've been helping out where, and when I could, but for the most part it was all her sweat and effort going into it (and before anyone asks, no, I didn't build any cabinets or new doors for the kitchen.) In fact, aside from removing a small partition wall, along with tearing out the countertops and backsplash, the project was really more of a "facelift" than remodel. But now that it's completed, the one project Samantha requested all along was a set of live-edge shelves for where a cabinet once sat. I doubt I'll do much to document their installation; it's pretty straight-forward. Probably the most difficult part of the build will be carefully drilling through ceramic tile to install them. Of course with that said now, finding a way to mill the 12" wide boards I'm planning to use could've been an even bigger struggle if it weren't for my thickness planer sled. On today's episode, we're breaking out the thickness planer sled first featured in the Tall Dresser build and putting it to use again.

I can't believe this is happening to me, but I'm getting bit by the turning bug and it's obvious it's contagious! Now that my time in the shop is currently less than it use to be, I really want to be able to knock out a project or two from start to finish, and the lathe is probably one of the one tools where this is entirely possible. In today's episode I'm literally turning some scrap maple into a small bowl. What'll I use it for? Probably to hold keys, or spare change, or more likely M&M's! In this episode I made quite a few references to the Easy Wood Tools' gouges and detailers I was using (pretty much the entire time.) If you're interested in purchasing them or just checking them out or yourself, you can find them at Woodcraft.com Help support the show - please visit our advertisers

Who doesn't need a little more storage space? Whether it's in the woodshop like me, or any where else throughout your living space, small cabinets help to tuck away the clutter and keep things organized. In this episode we're making a simple, small cabinet from supplies you can easily pick up at just about any home center. For this one I purchased a few "handi-panels" which are pre-glued and dimensioned boards that eliminate most of the milling we'd have to perform to get them ready for cutting and assembling. I also purchased some adjustable "euro-style" hinges and a simple wooden knob for the door. For joinery, it's all about the "blind-rabbet" joint in the corners to assemble the box, but something as simple as pocket-hole joinery or even tongue and groove would work fine too. Of course you could take a step further and use dovetail joinery or such to spruce it up even more. The only real "decorative" feature on this simple cabinet is the raised panel on the door. Originally I planned to leave it a flat panel, but then I wouldn't have had a chance to free-hand the extra wide chamfer all around the edge with my skew rabbet plane. Regardless of what you do with your small cabinet, this is a quick and easy project perfect for a single-day or leisurely weekend build. Help support the show - please visit our advertisers

Over the years there have been a lot of questions from new woodworkers. One of the most frequent is "should I buy a full set of chisels or just one or two?" The easy answer is "YES get a full set" but that's not always the correct one. In fact, if I had to rebuild my entire shop from the ground up and retool it, I'd probably avoid an entire set of chisels and instead concentrate on adding one or two high quality versions as needed. In today's episode I share with you the advice I like to offer new woodworkers (and some experienced ones) when it comes to purchasing chisels. With so many different tool manufacturers, sizes and even specialty chisels to choose from, it's hard to decide where to get started when buying your first (or next) chisel(s). My advice is pretty simple, and it can easily transfer to other tools and accessories in your shop later down the road. Help support the show - please visit our advertisers

In the previous episode of this two part series "550 Simple Cabinet Construction Pt 1" we started the construction on a pair of overhead cabinets for a laundry room. The cabinets are about as simple in design and construction as possible. A box with a face frame and a pair of full-overlay doors to enclose them. The only detail that could be remotely described as "ornate" is the ogee profile routed on the rail and stiles of the door frames. As far as I'm concerned the simpler the better when it comes to cabinet design. Why? For two reasons; 1) it makes construction a whole lot easier and more predictable, and 2) an entire wall filled with highly ornate cabinets would actually be it's own kind of special craziness. Help support the show - please visit our advertisers

Don't tell my wife, but after all these years of her asking if I'd ever consider building new cabinets for our kitchen I'm finally getting around to doing it. Except they're not for the kitchen, and they're not even for our house. Instead, it's a small build for a client. The good news is Samantha shouldn't be too upset by it for two reasons; 1) I'm getting paid to build them, and 2) Once I've built these, I'll know how to build ours even better if we still want to replace the existing ones! In today's episode we're getting started on the construction of a pair of overhead cabinets for my client's laundry room. The case construction is pretty straight forward, and made all that much easier because I'm using a blind rabbet joint which makes assembling them so much easier. As a matter of fact, that's what we'll be discussing and demonstrating in today's episode - milling the blind rabbet joint and then assembling the case from start to finish. Then in the next episode we'll move on to milling and constructing the face frame and the two sets of overlay doors to wrap up the project. Help support the show - please visit our advertisers

The folks over at Benchcrafted really know how to make tools. Jameel and everyone stand by the products they make so we don't have to worry about whether or not they're going to hold up in our shops. I think it has a lot to do with the fact that they're woodworkers too. They don't just make tools to sell them, they make tools to use them! It's very fair to say most of us associate Benchcrafted with their outstanding bench vise equipment and plans, but they also make a cool little tool that I picked up while attending the St. Charles, IL Woodworking In America Conference...The Skraper. The Skraper is more than a handy little tool for removing hardened glue from tight corners of your projects. I use mine for a number of different tasks, and it has yet to fail me!

The guys over at Bora Clamps recently introduced their latest clamping system, the Bora Wide Track Clamp Edge. A straight edge clamp that works very much like a traditional clamp with the added benefit of having a straight edge body attached to it. The beauty of a straight edge clamp is you can attach it to a surface, such as a workpiece or a tabletop/workbench and run your circular saw, router, jigsaw or most portable tools along the edge. It's a great system for those with limited space or jobsites where you don't have the luxury of large tools with fences and the like. Add to all of this the fact the Bora Wide Track Clamp has an extra wide body that will not flex while using, extra thick soft pads that can easily handle stock up to 1-1/2" thick, have the ability to angle the clamp body 22-1/2 degrees left or right while clamping or the fact that the body has a T-track system built in.

Today's episode is the 5th part of the series on the Child's dresser. We've jumped ahead a little bit as in real time I started to fall behind so I did some assembly work with the camera off. I'm trying to document as much as I can on these projects, but occasionally things kind of fall through the cracks. For the most part, today's episode covers drawer front construction from rough to finish. And glue up of the dresser top.

Today's Try It Tuesday is a look at the Czeck Edge Ruler-Stop currently available at Highland Woodworking. A handy little tool that literally fits in the palm of your hand but still has the ability to do great big things. The Czeck Edge Ruler-Stop works much like a traditional square, but with one big exception...you're not stuck with only using one kind of ruler. The vise like action of the Ruler-Stop opens to a maximum width of 1-1/4" and can accept rulers, shop made story sticks and just about anything that can fit within it's grasp. And because the sides of the body are ground flat and square to the jaws, it can easily be used much like you would a traditional square to layout lines on your projects. There's a lot the Czeck Edge Ruler-Stop can do, but you won't know until you try it out for yourself. Mine sits in my shop apron pocket so I never have to be without it. But check it out for yourself.

Today's episode is the final in the series on the Maple, Child's Dresser build. Unfortunately as will happen on this show, I did have to jump forward in time a little as I started to fall behind my original schedule to have it completed. Up to this point the vast majority of the construction has been documented, and the only thing that was left to complete was the drawers. We can come back on another episode and talk more specifically about the drawer construction, but in this episode I'll touch briefly on what I did in this project to make them. As part of the final wrap up on the build I'll touch on some of the subtle details I used to make the dresser as kid friendly as possible. Hope you've enjoyed it, and if you have any questions don't hesitate to contact me. Coming up for the next build project...the Maple, Child's Bookcase!

There are a lot of workbench accessories on the market, but typically they're either something that needs to be built as part of the workbench top and are nearly permanent components or they're small useful items, but don't have much versatility to them. A newer accessory that hit the market in the past year is the Veritas Surface Vise. It's a great tool that adds a ton of versatility and options to my less than adequate bench. The basic tool right out of the box worked amazing, and because it's removable head is designed to have shop made accessories attached...if necessary...the options for it's use increases dramatically.

We all want to kick the tires before we buy, but when it comes to certain things in life it's not always possible. Thankfully the folks at Lie-Nielsen understand this and travel across the states and into the great white north to give every woodworker an opportunity to man handle their planes, saws, chisels and more. While the events are slightly different from venue to venue, they're a lot of fun to attend!! Thanks to everyone who made it to Jeff Miller's in Chicago for the show. It was great to meet all of you and thanks for saying HI, Aiden couldn't believe people actually knew me LOL!!

There are times when I just want to make something for fun and I don't want to spend a lot of time worrying about all the details to make it right. Of course, I do want to make sure it's something I don't mind my name being associated with too! One type of project that's fun and can make a great gift for a loved one is a custom wooden sign. Whether it's an address plaque so the pizza delivery person knows NOT to miss my door once again or so help me I'll...or a humorous expression for reminding guest they're welcomed to visit but don't plan on staying long. Custom wooden signs are great projects. To make them even better and easier to knock out in your shop, Milescraft created the SignPro Kit. In the box is everything you need to make a wide variety of wooden signs, from horizontal to vertical...letters to numbers...large or small. All you need is some wood and maybe a dictionary so the neighbors don't shake their heads in disbelief, again. For the typical signs I've created with the SignPro, it's taken only minutes to have everything laid out and ready to route. Quick, simple and time well spent in the shop!

It's Safety Week 2010 and it only makes sense for this week's "Try It Tuesday" to be a safety device. A while ago we had a chance to give-away a Micro-Jig GRR-Ripper as part of our monthly schwag drawing. I couldn't just give one away without trying it out for myself, so for total openness...YES I did get one to tryout and talk about on the show. That was several months ago, and in that time I've had a chance to run the GRR-Ripper through it's paces. What are the final results and my thoughts? I LOVE IT! Why do I love it? One very specific reason...I feel safe and in control of my stock while using it. How many times can you say that about a tool that can be the difference between injury and a great day in the shop? To find out more about the GRR-Ripper, visit www.microjig.com. There's quite a few options and accessories for the GRR-Ripper, check them all out for sale at Highland Woodworking.

We're close to wrapping up SAFETY WEEK 2010 and I stumbled across a great article at WOOD Magazine's website. Not one to let a good thing slide by, I asked the folks at WOOD for permission to share it with all of you. Thankfully they said yes! Today's episode is based on the 12 point checklist mentioned in Shop Safety Checklist. It's a great read and something worth checking out to make sure you're working safe too. A huge thanks to WOOD Magazine for permission to share this with all of you!

It's another Tuesday and that means it's time for another "Try it Tuesday". This week we have the Kreg Multi-Mark, a great little multi-marking tool for a wide assortment of jobs in and out of the shop. With three possible blade positions for quick measuring and marking the Kreg Multi-Mark is a handy tool for setting up your blades and bits or creating relief lines around doors and windows for carpentry jobs. And that's just the start, I'm sure you'll find more jobs in your own shop. Checkout one today at either Amazon.com or at Kregtool.com.

Today's "Try it Tuesday" is all about my shop apron, more specifically the Leather Apron from Highland Woodworking. With it's generous proportions, it's deep flap covered pockets and it's really comfortable feel (once it's properly broken in that is) this is a great apron for any woodworker. Why would you need a shop apron? With all the little things you have laying around your benchtop, or on top of your stationary tools it's great to have a place to put them where they can be reached quickly and easily. That's exactly what a good shop apron will do. Not to mention protecting you from flying debris and keeping you from being caked in sawdust. Regardless of whether it's leather, canvas, cotton or polyester? A good shop apron will pay for itself in no time, especially when you don't have to search for your pencil or square.

Today's Try it Tuesday is the Lee Valley Handplane Screwdriver. Since the next few episodes will be continuing our discussion of hand planes, it only makes sense we need to cover some tools or accessories that go along with them. The Handplane Screwdriver is one such accessory. Unlike an ordinary screwdriver, the full length slot and brass ferrule completely grip the chipbreaker screw ensuring it won't be damaged and make it amazingly easy to tighten and loosen. Along with the easy to grip handle, the handplane screwdriver is perfect for the handplane user.

Finally returning to our discussion on hand planes we pick back up by talking about the roughest planes on the bench. The Jack Planes! This class of bench plane falls between the large jointers and the smaller smoothers, but they're the perfect size for doing rough work without wearing out the user. In the Stanley-Bailey numbering system the Jack Planes are the No.5's, No.5, No.5-1/4, No.5-1/2. But in case there's no number or it's a wooden bodied or you're just not sure, the Jack Plane is easy to identify by its size - approximately 9-12 inches in length. Again, not to long, but not to short! The Jack isn't a plane built for beauty, so if you're picking one up second hand don't be surprised if it's really, really beaten up. But don't worry, it'll work amazing.

The quickest and easiest way to improve an old hand plane is to swap out the original blade and maybe even the chipbreaker. Not that there's anything truly wrong with the original pieces, other than a little surface rust and maybe a nick or two, but if you were to hold the new old and blades side-by-side you'll quickly notice a big difference. The new blades are much thicker and therefore less likely to flex while being used and typically will hold their edge longer too. If there were any drawbacks to using the thicker blades it would be that they may fill more of the planes mouth than the original blade, but you may find in the case of a smoothing plane, this is a desirable drawback. And of course the cost of the new blades can set you back too, but it's a small price to pay for fantastic results.

Moving along with our discussion of bench planes it's time to take a look at the jointer planes. The jointers are our middle of the road tools. These are the tools we reach for once we've taken our stock from it's rough cut faces and edges, leveled out the big hills and valleys and are ready to take the material to it's final finished dimensions. The jointers are big planes that have the weight to push through knots and tricky grain with little to no effort. But they can wear you out quickly if you're not careful. Typically I use my own to prep stock for final smoothing with a smaller smoothing plane. But you can easily set one up to act very much like a smoother if you really desired the workout. To find out more about which planes are which and what kind of job they do best, visit Patrick's Blood & Gore at www.supertool.com.

Today's "Try it Tuesday" is the Veritas Jointer Fence. A great accessory for the hand plane user to help get nice square edges on your stock. Usable with almost all of the bench planes, it attaches to the body via two, strong rare earth magnets. Once attached to a plane, making square edges is a breeze and easily repeatable. Saving you time and of course aggravation when squaring up a stock's edge. I've used mine for years now and have never had a problem with it. The model featured in today's show is the regular model, but there is a version for low-angle planes too. If you're interested in ordering one for your shop, visit Highland Woodworking or Lee Valley. Please remember, every purchase you make helps to support the show! Tell them Matt's Basement Workshop sent you.

We wrap up our discussion of the bench planes today with a discussion about Smoothing Planes. Next to the Jack Planes, the smoothers are probably one of the more common planes in the shop. In the Stanley Numbering System, the smoothers are the lowest numbers, 1-4. But you can easily recognize them by their smaller size, as they're usually no longer than 9-1/2 inches in length and 2 inches wide for a model like the No.4. This is also true for the bevel-up versions of smoothers. While I prefer to use my smoothing planes primarily for final prepping of my stock for finishing, they can easily be used much like you would a Jack or Jointer plane on small stock. It's only when it comes to working large stock that they're not ideal for flattening or roughing the pieces. To learn more about the world of Stanley Hand Planes visit Patrick Leach's website "Patrick's Blood and Gore" at www.supertool.com.

Today's "Try it Tuesday" is a look at Bob Lang's "Woodworker's Guide To Sketchup". A really amazing tutorial covering just about every aspect of Google's Sketchup 3D modeling system that a woodworker would need to create stunning and detailed drawings for their next project. Bob is a great teacher, author and of course woodworker. Bob has taken it upon himself to learn as much about Sketchup as humanly possible, and for the past couple of years has been teaching woodworkers how to get the most from it. "Woodworker's Guide To Sketchup" is a fully interactive eBook that you load onto your computer and can access while using Sketchup on your next project. It's like having Bob sitting next to you while you're designing. And to add to all of this are the multiple built-in videos that highlight the topics discussed throughout and reinforce the lessen. Trust me, if you've ever wanted to learn how to use Sketchup or just dramatically improve what you're already doing with it, this is the book for you! To learn more about it, to download a preview chapter or to checkout some of the embedded videos head over to Bob's website www.craftsmanplans.com.

Long before the summer hiatus this year you might remember our last project build was a Maple Child's Dresser for a client and family friend. It was one of four pieces I was asked to build for their daughter's room. Today we're getting started with the first of a four part series that covers the construction of the next two pieces, a pair of matching Maple Bookcases with adjustable shelves. The construction is straight forward and the design is loosely based on a Shaker "style" bookcase. Clean lines, strong materials and soft edges were what I had in mind when I sat down to work up the final construction notes and drawings based on the pictures of similar bookcases they showed me. In today's episode we'll construct the sides of the bookcase and route a pair of grooves in each side panel that will house the adjustable shelving hardware I chose to use. We'll then follow up the construction portion of the video with a look at some of our shelving hardware options and even some jigs we can use to install the hardware. IN FACT...I'm digging up an old homemade jig plan that was submitted several years ago by Don Garner. To check out the plans for Don's Jig "right click and save as..." on THIS LINK. Huge thanks to Lee Valley Tools for loaning us a Veritas Cabinet 32 Cabinetmaking System and some hardware examples for today's show.

With the side panels glued up and grooved to recess our adjustable shelf hardware it's time to move on to the next part of the Maple Kid's Bookcase. In today's episode we cut and prep the fixed shelves then attach them, along with the top rails, to the side panels from Part 1. My method for this construction process is to use Pocket Hole Joinery. They're strong enough to hold up to the wear and tear the bookcase will endure and make the construction process very simple. At the end of the build portion, we'll take a look at the options we have for cutting notches in the shelves themselves. Because of the design, the shelves need to "wrap around" the four legs to fit snug against the recessed panel. I use a bandsaw for this task, but if you don't have one...there are other ways this can be accomplished.

In part 3 of the Kid's Bookcase construction we start the final assembly. At this point all the components are cut to their final dimensions and we've done our dry fits to make sure everything is going to come together without a hitch. While I chose to use pockethole joinery to bring everything together, we'll talk about our OPTIONS for possible joinery in your project.

Another Woodworking in America has come and gone and it's left a lasting impression. Not just on me but everybody I've talked with who attended. This is like no other woodworking show out there right now. It's not about the vendors, it's not about the lecturers, it's all about the people attending. And I'm willing to admit I was wrong about my fears of the show becoming too big too fast. Even with the introduction of power tool classes and the combining of design seminars with the handtool lectures, Woodworking in America didn't lose it's focus on what today's woodworker wants to learn and more importantly experience, and it's that experience that will keep me and so many others coming back year after year. Even if you missed the deadline for signing up to attend the classes with the likes of Frank Klausz, Jim Tolpin, Roy Underhill, Ron Herman, George Walker and Michael Fortune you can still run into them in the marketplace, and what a marketplace it was too! Imagine all the vendors you've heard the staff of Popular Woodworking go on and on about in article after article regarding the new small manufacturer who's not just selling you a great tool but are using the tools in their own shops too. Still the one thing that blows me away each time I attend, are the attendees themselves. You may arrive alone, plan a quiet weekend of great lectures and maybe buy yourself something nice but after the first class you'll suddenly find yourself having conversations with your fellow attendees as if you'd known each other for years. Don't take my word for it, ask anyone who's attended! In fact, checkout some of the great links we've been putting together from my fellow bloggers and podcasters. Here's a link to a post where we've been adding them so you can get another perspective on the event CLICK HERE. Today's episode contains snippets from a few of my classes on the first day. Including a lecture by George Walker, Chris Schwarz, Michael Fortune and Roy Underhill. Enjoy, I know I did.

Let's take one more trip back to Woodworking in America 2010 and I'll share with you a few more classes I attended as part of this ongoing amazing experience. I eluded to the "mourning phase" after leaving the show and coming down off my woodworking high as we drove away. That mourning isn't quite what it was a week ago, but I still have moments where I forget I'm not more than a classroom away from one of my many new friends. Hopefully you can make it next year, same location...so you can start making your traveling plans as soon as we hear the dates. Once they're announced you'll hear it from me right away. Today's episode contains snippets from Glen Huey's "Sliding Dovetails without Fail", Marc Adam's "Amazing Router Jigs for Inlay, Ellipses and 'Faux' Dovetails" and also one more from Chris Schwarz "Scraper Planes". Once again, don't take my word for how awesome it was this year, ask anyone who's attended! In fact, checkout some of the great links we've been putting together from my fellow bloggers and podcasters. Here's a link to a post where we've been adding them so you can get another perspective on the event CLICK HERE.

In today's episode we get a look at the finished Kid's Maple Bookcase. When I originally recorded the footage I was literally minutes away from the clients picking it up, so I may have skipped over some details you'd like to know more about. But I did cover as many of the final details as I could. The finish I chose for the bookcase was a combination of Amber Shellac to help match the color of existing pieces the client had already, and then a final top coat of Water based Arm-R-Seal by General Finishes. I could have just gone with the Amber Shellac alone, but I really wanted this project to stand up to the wear and tear it'll probably endure over the years. If you have any questions from today's episode or any from the first 3 episodes of this series. Don't hesitate to drop me a line "EMAIL ME". Some of you already have, and I'll be addressing those questions in next week's episode where we'll devote the entire episode to answering those questions.

If you have any questions from today's episode or any from the first 3 episodes of this series. Don't hesitate to drop me a line "EMAIL ME". Some of you already have, and I'll be addressing those questions in next week's episode where we'll devote the entire episode to answering those questions. The Kid's Maple Bookcase project is all wrapped up now and we're about to move onto something new. But before we do, I wanted to answer some questions a few of you had that came up along the way. As you probably already know (if you've seen Parts 1-4 of the build) I tried to offer alternative methods to the construction or answer questions that I kind of figured would come up along the way. And of course I invited you to send in your questions in case I missed something. The two biggest questions that were asked were in regards to the assembly of the side panels and then more of a comment and suggestion vs a question on the method I used for cutting notches in the shelves. I had discussed using different tools to cut the notches and included why I preferred not to use the tablesaw on this build to do it. I may have misspoke a little when discussing the tablesaw, but hopefully when you watch today you'll understand what I was trying to get at. If you have further questions about the build or about something you've seen previously, don't hesitate to EMAIL ME.

I can't remember the last time I did any kind of shop tour in my current basement workshop, so after much prodding by a few of you (especially you John!!!) I decided it was time to invite all of you down for a look around. Really there's not a lot to look at that you haven't already seen, but I figured while you're all here I might as well explain a little bit about where and what I have in the shop. Coincidentally timed with this tour (completely unplanned I swear!) is the introduction of a new piece of equipment in my shop. Thanks to the folks at Highland Woodworking and their sponsorship of the show we have a brand new Steel City 8" Jointer. So without further delay, let's get this tour moving along!

It's been a long time in the making and that has nothing to do with the kit itself! My Brese J-Style Small Smoother has finally been completed and is making the most amazing shavings a plane has ever taken in the basement workshop. For those of you who've heard me talk about this project on Wood Talk Online Radio you know it's been an ongoing laugh each and everytime it's been discussed. Well the laughing is over and the tears of joy are streaking my face. With the completion of the small smoother I finally have a plane I can say I crafted myself and it's made to be unlike any other out there. If you're not familiar with Ron Brese and his amazingly beautiful hand planes you really need to take a look for yourself. They're not just gorgeous to look at, but the feeling you have when you pick one up and take a few passes with them is mind blowing. They're a really work of art and they have the capability to elevate your planing to a new level. Don't just take my word for it, ask anyone who's had the pleasure of trying them out. Of course I'm not going to lie and pretend this kind of beauty doesn't have its cost. Ron makes each plane himself and doesn't rush the construction. He makes them to exacting tolerances with the end result being tiny, wispy shavings more reminiscent of soft billowy clouds than thin see through shavings. And that's not just on any old wood, we're talking those kind of results on some of the nasty, trickiest grains out there. Again, don't take my word for it. Ron often travels around the country with the Lie-Nielsen Toolworks Hand Tool Event. Stop by his booth and manhandle a plane for yourself. Maybe you could bring a sample of that board you've had trouble with before and see if he'll let you try one of the planes on it? So without further delay, let's get on with today's show! This is part 1 of a 2 part episode covering the construction process in making the J-Style Small Smoother. We'll see how you shape the wood and prep it for placement in the body. Then next week we'll finish the whole process. It's so easy, you'll be asking me why it took so long for me to get my butt moving in the first place? To learn more about Ron Brese or any of these amazing planes pictured above, visit his website at www.breseplane.com. Tell him Matt sent you! ***editor's note: Ron no longer offers handplane kits, a bummer for sure!***

In this episode we'll wrap up the final assembly of this amazing little smoother plane and I'll explain the right way to do it, while also explaining WHAT I ended up doing instead. Of course luckily in the end it all came together and works just as well and amazingly as I had hoped and dreamed it would! If you're not familiar with Ron Brese and his amazingly beautiful hand planes you really need to take a look for yourself. They're not just gorgeous to look at, but the feeling you have when you pick one up and take a few passes with them is mind blowing. They're a really work of art and they have the capability to elevate your planing to a new level. Don't just take my word for it, ask anyone who's had the pleasure of trying them out. Of course I'm not going to lie and pretend this kind of beauty doesn't have its cost. Ron makes each plane himself and doesn't rush the construction. He makes them to exacting tolerances with the end result being tiny, wispy shavings more reminiscent of soft billowy clouds than thin see through shavings. And that's not just on any old wood, we're talking those kind of results on some of the nasty, trickiest grains out there. Again, don't take my word for it. Ron often travels around the country with the Lie-Nielsen Toolworks Hand Tool Event. Stop by his booth and manhandle a plane for yourself. Maybe you could bring a sample of that board you've had trouble with before and see if he'll let you try one of the planes on it? To learn more about Ron Brese or any of these amazing planes pictured above, visit his website at www.breseplane.com. Tell him Matt sent you!

It's official! Five years of Matt's Basement Workshop Podcast and it's still going strong. I've talked before about the beginnings of the show so there's no need to re-hash it again...but you're welcome to ask me about it any time! In today's episode we have a bit of catching up to do from the long holiday hiatus. One of the big things I wanted to share is news that I FINALLY completed the migration of ALL the archived episodes. We now have everything from EPISODE ONE up to this post on one unified website. This has been a long time coming and WAY OVER DUE. So take a look around and find your favorite old episode or discover one you might have missed. Also in today's episode is a look at something many of you have asked me about in the past, "What's a typical day in your life?" So rather than just talking about it, we had a crew document a day in the life of the host of Matt's Basement Workshop. Hopefully it'll answer all those questions you've had in the past. Coming up next week, the first of a multi-part series on the construction of our friend's Walnut Buffet. A great project that was both fun and challenging for me. So make sure you come back to see it go from raw materials to finished project.

It's time to get back to some serious content...or at least as close as I'll come to it. Today we start the construction of the Walnut Buffet. This is part 1 of a multi-part series and it begins with the rough construction of the buffet's body. The majority of components for this project were constructed from a premium walnut plywood with its edges wrapped by solid walnut stock. The beauty of working with a premium plywood of any species is how well it cuts, how well it can be machined (including holding mechanical fasteners) and especially how well it can stand up to sanding, scraping and finishing. Just to help demonstrate the differences between premium plywood and "not-so" premium, I'll test the thickness of the veneers with a nicely sharpened card scraper to see how long it takes to get through the face layer. Can you guess how many scrapes it takes to get the center core of a "not-so" premium piece of plywood Mr. Owl? Help support the show - please visit our advertisers

In the second part of the construction of our friend's Walnut Buffet we've completed the construction of the carcass that makes up the majority of the project. From this point forward it's now a matter of adding pieces of the structural details. The dividers between the doors and drawers, the boxes for the drawers, the drawer fronts and the doors themselves. But before we get into all of those components, I want to add the solid walnut pieces that cover the exposed plys of our premium walnut plywood. Because the design requires the face frames to be the same thickness as the plywood itself, I had a couple of different options for how I was going to attach it. I already decided I wanted solid walnut vs a simple edge veneer. But I wanted to make sure it was securely fastened other than simply glued flat face to plywood edge. I thought about either biscuit joinery or even reinforcing with brads. Both didn't seem very appealing, so I did a little more research. What I came up with was to use an edge banding bit system that created matching profiles in both the plywood edges and the solid walnut face. The folks over at Eagle America were really great to let me try out this system for this project and I'd highly recommend it to anyone who wanted something that did more than simply dress up an exposed edge. Because of the way the solid stock is interlocked with the sheet good, it offers an added rigidity that I'm not convinced a simple face glued strip would be able to provide. There is a small learning process to get started, but as I demonstrate in today's episode once you do a few test cuts and even create reference blocks, setup and use is a breeze. And the results speak for themselves. Thank you Eagle America! Help support the show - please visit our advertisers

In today's episode we start construction of the doors. But before we can really get into it, I need to cut and install the horizontal dividers between the drawers and doors. For this part of the project I chose pocket hole joinery. For me, it was a perfect joinery technique for a piece that was less structural and more design. Speaking of pocket hole joinery, in the second half of today's show I wanted to share with you some information about getting the best results from pocket hole joinery - especially since so many of you seem to be a little apprehensive about using it. While setup of a pocket hole jig is important, choosing the correct screws for use in those pocket holes is even more vital. Here's a great Kreg Screw Kit available at Highland Woodworking I found some great information at Kreg Tool's website. Obviously they sell their own screws, but even the after-market versions have characteristics listed in today's show that will give you excellent results. Thanks to Kreg Tool for the great information and all the images. Help support the show - please visit our advertisers

Today we're installing the doors on the Walnut Buffet. The design requires inset doors, which can be very tricky to get placed correctly for an uniform reveal on all four edges. Thankfully I chose European style hinges for the hardware. The benefit of these style hinges vs a traditional pin version is the built in adjusters which make achieving an uniform revel as easy as turning a screw or two. But before we get to the hinge installation we need to trim and adjust the solid wood wraps on the walnut plywood to fit in the door openings. The fastest way to do this I've found is using my block or smoothing plane. In fact we'll take a closer look at doing just that in the second half of the show. Help support the show - please visit our advertisers

We're nearing the end of the Walnut Buffet build. Just a couple more episodes and we're done. If you have any questions so far about some aspect of the construction, drop me a line EMAIL YOUR QUESTION or leave a comment in today's shownotes. Today I'm showing you how I constructed the drawer boxes for the two large drawers. Drawer box construction is really simple. At the heart of it, it's nothing more than assembling an open topped box that slides into an opening. The big question on my mind when I'm building drawers for any project are how will they slide in and out of the opening and what joinery am I using to assemble the drawer sides to the front and back? The first joint most woodworkers will answer with - dovetails. But is it the only joint you can use? What if you don't know how, or you're just not fond of them? Let's discuss some common joinery techniques that not only look good but are just as strong as the dovetail. That's what's coming up in the second half of the show today. Help support the show - please visit our advertisers

We're almost done with the construction of the Walnut Buffet, only a couple more episodes and this series will be wrapped up. If you have any questions about what I've covered so far make sure to send me an EMAIL or leave a comment in the shownotes. I'm planning on doing a followup show to answer any you have. In today's episode we're building the base for the buffet. It was a simple construction, 3 pieces in all. One long span down 2/3rds the length of the bottom and butted at either end by two feet that were approximately 2/3rds the depth. I attached the pieces with screws and glue, but after assembling it I was a little worried it may be pulled apart during regular use. So I decided to reinforce the end grains with dowels. How'd I do that? Checkout the episode to find out. Help support the show - please visit our advertisers

On today's show we're wrapping up the walnut buffet build. Really there's not much more to discuss other than the finishing process, and how and why I chose to roll my nicely laid out mitered edges on the top (here's a hint, sharp edges won't just bite you when you bump into them. They also like to break off too). And then there was that whole moment where the buffet fell 3 feet off the sawhorses and came smashing down onto the workshop's concrete floor. What, you didn't hear about that? With all the crying and gnashing of teeth I don't know how you could've missed it. Well regardless of whether you knew about it or not, I'm going to show the life-saving technique Kari Hultman demonstrated for the Popular Woodworking Magazine Tricks of the Trade column that kept me from going over the edge. After you watch me do it in the second half of today's show, check out Kari's version by visiting the video HERE. Help support the show - please visit our advertisers

Maybe I'm getting a little kit crazy, but I've built my second hand plane from a kit and I'm loving it. In today's episode I'm showing off my new Hock Shoulder Plane that I built a few weeks ago. It's a great way to spend some time in the shop and have something you'll use over and over on a variety of projects. And on top of it, it wasn't very difficult. The instructions are easy to follow and everything you need to complete it (except the glue) is included. It's a great project for woodworkers of all experience levels. Available at Highland Woodworking or through Hock Tools directly. Other kits and items mentioned in today's show: Hock Krenov Style Handplane Kit Wood Planes and How to Make Them Veritas Wooden Spokeshave Hardware Kit Wenzloff and Sons Sawkits Brese Plane Kits (no longer available) Help support the show - please visit our advertisers

Today we're starting a new build series on the show. Over the next couple of weeks we'll be covering the construction of an entire wall or two of book shelves. This is a repeat client for me and I'm more than happy to fill their house with more of my projects. In fact, the shelves I'm building are a continuation of existing shelves I built for them several years ago. So I'm very familiar with the design already, which if you had to put a label on it, would probably be considered modern with it's straight lines and complete lack of mouldings and ornamentation of any kind. It seems recently we've been working with a lot of plywood in our projects here and the fact is, we have. Plywood is a great material for a wide variety of builds because of a number of reasons. The obvious being it's easier to cut a sheet of plywood to a wider dimension like 11" or 12" than it can be to glue up a couple of solid boards, plane them flat and even with each other, and then cut them to their final dimensions. Now don't take that as being lazy, it's just a simple fact. Still, I've been known to do just that with solid boards for a given project and I still think plywood goes a little quicker. Of course one downside to plywood is it's edges and depending on the manufacturer the face veneers themselves. But that's a topic for an earlier show! LINKS FOR ITEMS MENTIONED IN TODAY'S EPISODE: The Sagulator Milescraft Saw Guide for Circular and Jig Saws Bora Saw Guide Bora Wide Track 100" Clamp. Help support the show - please visit our advertisers

In today's episode we continue the construction of the "Walls of shelves" for my client by routing the dadoes for the fixed shelves and then ripping the sides to size. Also we'll cut the fixed shelves and create the blind rabbet joint that not only attaches the top fixed shelf to the sides, but will help to add some rigidity and strength to it. Once this is all done, we're about halfway through the construction phase and we can begin to move into the assembly of the shelves next week. In the second half of today's show I want to discuss a little bit about understanding the basics of the plywood grading system. Other than exterior vs interior plywoods, the biggest concern is understanding how the grading system can tell you which pieces are best for fine woodworking and which ones are more utilitarian. In the episode I mention a great article at WOOD Magazine's Website which is a nice basic look at understanding the grading system and what you can expect from the various grades of plywood. CLICK HERE TO VISIT. Items mentioned in today's episode you may want to add to your shop: Magswitch Plywood Router Bits Kreg Tools Kreg Precision Router Table Set Up Bars Quick Clamps Help support the show - please visit our advertisers

So far in the "Walls of Shelves" series you've seen me working on some rather straight forward, basic shelving units. Along with these regular pieces, the client had asked if I could build a corner shelving unit for them also. The corner piece isn't all that different from the other units except for the curved shelves. In today's episode I'll demonstrate how I cut those curved shelves using a tablesaw and a jigsaw, and then in the second half of the episode I'll share with you some optional tools we can use to make the same cuts. If after watching the show you have an alternate method I didn't mention I'd love to hear about it, leave a comment below or drop me a line by CLICKING HERE. Help support the show - please visit our advertisers

It's the final episode in the "Walls of Shelves" series. In today's episode I'm applying a veneer edge banding to the exposed edges of the shelving units and ALL the shelves that go with them. Unlike in previous builds where I've opted to use solid edge banding, this time I'm turning to the pre-glued version. I've always been skeptical, to some degree, about how reliable it can be. But once the heat re-activated the glue, all my skepticism went out the window. It not only holds better than I anticipated, it set up faster than I thought it would. So there was a bit of a learning curve to getting it in place without a lot of swearing. My other big concern with edge banding veneer was whether it would look fake and obviously applied. But just like with any wood joint, solid or not, it's a matter of leveling and sanding for a perfect mating surface. In fact, hopefully in the second half I'll be able to adequately show you what I mean. If after watching the show you have an alternate method to anything we've discussed in the entire build series I'd love to hear about it, leave a comment below or drop me a line by CLICKING HERE. Help support the show - please visit our advertisers

Summer might as well be officially over. The kids are back in school, the warmest days are now almost equal to the coldest nights from just a month ago and I'm heading back into the shop with the video camera to start building more great stuff to share with all of you. Yes, I'd say Summer is about ready to be tucked away under a pile of dead leaves very shortly. So that means it's time to start posting some of this content I've been filming. To get these new episodes started on a solid footing I'm posting my recent build of Benchcrafted's Moxon Vise Kit. If you're not familiar with Benchcrafted already, you might want to take a few moments to visit their website and checkout their amazing bench hardware and plans. Jameel and the guys don't mess around with quality, they have one set of standards...GOLD. I've never read a review or commentary that didn't involve their hardware being praised in the highest way. So when I had a chance to try one of their Moxon Vise Kits I jumped at the opportunity. AND MAN WAS I NOT DISAPPOINTED!!! At this point I could go on about the quality of their craftsmanship and the details of the instructions, but I won't even begin to scratch the surface of how impressed I am with it. You'll just have to watch and see for yourself. For more information on any of the Benchcrafted products visit www.benchcrafted.com. Tell them Matt sent you, hopefully they won't blacklist your email LOL! And one more thing; for the sake of transparency, I received this kit from Benchcrafted in exchange for advertising. BUT, I would've heaped the same praise on them regardless! http://youtu.be/WxBuOA1IrP4 Download Video Help support the show - please visit our advertisers

The holiday season is practically knocking on our doors and it's the perfect time to start thinking of projects for loved ones and friends. Who doesn't love receiving a gift you know was made with their own two hands? I know my family does, and up until this year they've been sadly disappointed in the past. But not this time around! Ever since the guys at Bell Forest have become an advertiser on the site I've been haunting THEIR website looking at amazing stock for project ideas. One thing that caught my eye early on was some of the project kits they had available. These are kits perfect for a weekend build or just for someone looking for an easy to assemble gift without a lot of hassle with designing and planning the construction process. The Paddle Cutting Board is one of those kits. Sent with everything you need to build; the wood, the template, the directions. All you need to add is time, tools, glue and you. Who could ask for more? To find out more about the Paddle Cutting Board kit or any of the other great offerings from Bell Forest visit their website at www.bellforestproducts.com You better hurry though, now that the holidays know were talking about them they'll charge right at us instead of sneak up from behind. Help support the show - please visit our advertisers